​The Rules By Which We Abide

The Rules of the Choir Room are fairly simple and all fall under the common umbrella of RESPECT.

RESPECT OF SELF· Get the most out of your education. Pay attention. Work hard. Your directors have dedicated their lives to gathering information on this subject and they are sharing their hard earned knowledge with you for FREE! They are SPEWING GENIUS at you - absorb it!· Please, for your own safety, spit out your gum on the way into the room. Gum and choir do NOT mix. You will be inhaling deeply on a regular basis. We do not condone choking to death in our class. For your convenience, gum receptacles (otherwise known as trash cans) have been placed by each doorway to the room!· As long as we are talking gum, spit it out before each concert as well. Aside from the danger to your health, it is distracting and looks unprofessional. Listening to a beautiful and well executed choral piece can be completely ruined for the audience by somebody in the third row on the left looking like a cow chewing its evening meal. ;-)

RESPECT OF EACH OTHER· The Choir Room is a Judgement Free Zone. We understand that in order to grow, we must take risks. In order to take risks, we must feel safe. In order to feel safe, we must not feel judged. While diversity is what makes our culture and communities colorful and strong, it is also the source of differences amongst us. We will focus on what we have in common and honor our differences. Remember that we are all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Each singer is somebody's child, sibling, cousin, niece/nephew, best friend, pet owner, employee, etc. Each singer is entitled to walk this earth and "be." While you are not required to like everyone you encounter in life, we do ask that you show everyone mutual respect!·From bell to bell, we belong to each other. Unless specifically called for by your director, your phone does not belong in rehearsal. Whatever is waiting for you on your phone will STILL BE THERE when the bell rings. Be present in the moment... for this specific moment, in this minute, making these memories and this music, will NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. For the rest of your life. Soak it all up... then snap and instagram about it later. Fur further explanation, see video below.

RESPECT OF PROPERTY· While the choir room is easily your second home, do not mistake it as your bedroom or your locker. TEMPORARY storage cubbies are provided to get you through the day, but there are approximately 24 of them for over 400 students. Do not leave items in the room long term, or they will be thrown away or taken to lost and found.· When hydrating yourself in the choir room, make sure that you are drinking CLEAR LIQUIDS ONLY. Starbucks, Juice Stop, Energy Drinks, Soda, etc. are not allowed in the general seating area. If you bring these in to class, they will be stored on the cubbies until the end of class. Water is good for your body. Drink more of it.

On occasion, you may observe a director with non clear liquid. We are sorry about it ahead of time, but we are old people with six college degrees amongst us. When you reach this point in life, you can bend this rule as needed, too. We don't mean to be unfair... it's just life. Aging and wisdom must have SOME advantage.

· Throw away your garbage... in the garbage can! We are of a solid belief that custodians are human beings that we uphold and thank for keeping our room clean and germ free. They work very hard in a school the size of ours. That is a big enough job without having to pick up trash after ten choirs totaling 600 human beings each day. Don't be a pig. Keep your area clean. If you see trash - throw it away, whether it is yours or not. Be a good person!· Take care of your folder and your music. These things are expensive. Pay attention to what you are doing. We give every singer a designated slot for your choir music. Use it. And don't touch anyone else's!·The computer, computer desk and office chair at the computer desk, are the property of the DIRECTORS and to be used by the DIRECTORS. Please respect what little space we have. The choir room is indeed you room - your space - your life. But honor our OCD and need for space somewhere. We love you. Keep it that way. HA!

Required Video for each choir member... every year.

This is an important 15 minute video. Watch it. Every time he mentions the "workplace," replace it with "school." Every time he mentions "conference room" replace it with "choir room." Contemplate how we interact with each other during class each day and what you can do to be truly present with one another.